Suspenders.



No. s7a,25|. Patented July 9, I90l.

.1. w. HAFER.

SUSPENDEBS.

(Application filed Apr 16, 1901.)

(No Model.)

1: NORI! m'zns co. marronmm. wunmuvou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN W. HAFER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUSPENDERS.

SPE GIFIGATI ON forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 678,251, dated July9, 1901.

Application filed April 16 1901. Serial No. 56,119. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. HAFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Suspenders,of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a pair of suspenders ofpeculiar construction which shall be adapted to support the trousers insuch a manner as to cause them to set properly and comfortably and tosecure this without attaching the suspenders to the rear of thetrousers, thus relieving the wearer of the strain which is necessarilyincident to suspenders connected to the trousers at the rear wheneverthe body is bent forward.

It also has for its object to produce a pair of suspenders which shalloperate also as a shoulder-brace, and, further, to prevent thesuspenders thus constructed from cutting or drawing to an uncomfortabledegree upon the wearer around the shoulders.

It has for a further object to produce an important means for attachingthe suspenders to the trousers. v

To secure these objects, my invention consists of a pair of suspendersand means for attaching them to the trousers constructed in the mannerwhich I will now proceed to describe and as illustrated in the drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a View illustrating the suspenders in use upon aperson. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the suspenders alone in theposition which they occupy when in use. Fig. 3 is a detail View of oneof the connecting-pieces B. Fig. 4. is a detail view illustrating thefront connection or attachment of the suspenders with the trousers.

Referring to the drawings, A A indicate front straps, which are adaptedto be carried over the shoulders and connected with buckles orconnecting-plates B at the back. The two buckles B are connected by across strap or piece 0. The length of the straps A is such that thecross-strap O is disposed rela tively high-that is, across the backbetween the shoulders.

D D are rear straps, which are connected. at their upper ends to thebuckles B.

F F indicate connecting-straps arranged to band.

the rear or back strap D and connected with the front strap by means ofa buckle or triangular-shaped ring.

It will be seen by reference to the drawings that theparts A, D, and Fconstitute a closed loop through which the arm of the wearer is thrust,the strap A extending across the back of the shoulder and under the armand the connecting-piece F being arranged at the side under the arm. Thetwo loops thus formed are united by the back strap 0, and thereby heldin proper relation to each other.

G represents the main supporting strap or It is connected with the loopof the suspenders, through which the arm of the wearer extends, asdescribed, directly under the arm, preferably by being connected at thejunctionof straps D and F, and it is adapted to be secured to thetrousers at the side thereof near the top and in line with the sideseam. By uniting or connecting the suspenders with the trousers at thispoint two important results are secured. In the first place theattachment is in the most advantageous position for suspending thetrousers, and in the second place it is arranged where it is stronglyreinforced, so that there is no danger of the attachment tearing thetrousers.

H H represent front supporting pieces. They are connected with the lowerends of the front straps A and are adapted to be connected with thefront portion of the trousers, preferably with the inner fly thereof.These front supporting straps or pieces operate to sustain the trousersin front, holding them properly in position, and they also serve to drawthe front straps A forward, preventing them from assuming a tight anduncomfortsuspenders and the rear of the trousers, thus leaving the backfree, so that there is no strain when the body is bent forward, and itis the common experience of the wearers of suspenders that the greatstrain and danger of breakage is due to the forward bending of the body.A further advantage is that the front straps A and H cooperate to holdthe bosom of the shirt against the body, and thus they tend to preventbulging or wrinkling thereof.

While it is evident that the suspenders constructed as described mightbe attached to the trousers by means of buttons or tabs formed withbuttonholes, I prefer a novel form of connection which I haveillustrated in the drawings and which consists of a ring or loop I,adapted to be engaged by a hook or catch J at the ends of thesupporting-pieces of the suspenders. The rings or loops are firmlysecured to pieces of braid, tape, or other suitable fabric K, adapted tobe permanently secured by sewing to the trousers. These are secured insuch position that the rings or loops are just below the top edge of thetrousers, and thus out of sight. I prefer that a portion of the tape 7;should be extended upward or beyond the ring I and secured to thetrousers, so as to constitute a shield or guard for preventing the hookJ from wearing the trousers when it is connected with the ring.

Vhat I claim is 1. In suspenders the combination of the strap portionsarranged to encircle the arms, the back connecting-strap between sucharmencircling portions, supporting straps arranged between thearni-encircling parts and the sides of the trousers directly under thearms, and other supporting-straps arranged between the arm-encirclingparts and the front central portion of the trousers,'substantially asset forth.

2. In suspenders the combination of the front straps arranged to passover the shoulders, the cross strap or piece 0 at the back connectingthe front straps, the back straps D arranged to be brought-from the backto under the arms, the connecting strap or piece F uniting the lowerportions of the back straps D and the front strap, the supporting-strapsG united with the trousers at the sides, and the downwardly andforwardly extending connecting-pieces I-I extending from the lower endsof the front straps to the front of the trousers where they are united,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with suspenders having supporting ends provided withbooks, of the attachments arranged to be secured to the trousers forconnections with the suspenders and consisting of straps, tape or braidadapted to be united with the trousers by sewing and provided with theextended ends 75, and rings secured thereto and adapted to be engaged bythe hooks of the trousers and arranged in front of the ends 70' of thestraps, substantially as set forth.

JOHN XV. IIAFER.

Witnesses:

J. S. BARKER, H. N. Low.

